Two Sides of the Coin
by Capulet'sInflitratedHetalia
Summary: Heads and tails. Dogs and cats. Polar opposites, that coexist by necessity. When the Vongola meet their own opposite, an assassin from the cat loving Nekonome clan, they think they've met their match. Before too long, Tsuna and co and thrust into the battle royal style sibling rivalry of the clan, a bloody hell pit. Diclaimer: Katekyo and characters belong to Akira Amano except OCs
1. Prologue

**Hey! First Katekyo fanfic. It's been tossed around for a while and I'm just sending this out as a sort of promo of the main character. Opinions are welcome as to whether it should be continued!**

* * *

_Prologue:_

The world of the Underground is divided. The Mafia strives for power, assassins slink down for excellence. At one's request, the other spills blood. If one grows too cocky, their former work associates will turn on them. Such is the balance, between the physical rulers, and the bloodthirsty shadows. So different, yet dependent. Despise the other, yet can coordinate with them. Like dogs and cats really.

~()~

As the sun crossed over and began its descent through the clouds, a single figure perched on the roof of an old ramshackle watchtower. The soft padding of footsteps made her turn to see her partner slinking up to her.

"Ready to go?" he asked, voice sliding seductively as he came up beside her. She nodded and they vaulted off the roof.

Two guards stationed at the entrance of their boss' mansion bared their weapons when a figure's shadow stained the fog but relaxed when its owner came out.

"Hey, little girl, you can't be-" their words cut off as she walked right by them. They collapsed, lifeless, to the ground, not even earning a look. She gently pressed an item into the key hole and the door swung soundlessly open. She looked back and her partner jumped over.

"Let's go." She nodded in reply and they slipped in.

~()~

In the office, the boss was in a deep discussion with his companion.

"Did you hear? The arcobaleno curse is over. The Seven Strongest Infants are adults."  
"Do you know the famiglias they're allied with? We'll need them to be in an alliance with us, or we're as good as dead sometime in the future."  
"Stop looking to the future." A soft voice interrupted, making them jump up in shock. "And think about now."

"Who are you?" the boss yelled, jumping out. The small girl came out from the doorway.

"Fernando Costelle, yes?" she asked, face emotionless. He growled.

"I know who I am, brat. How'd you get in here?"

"That's not important." She looked up with black eyes. "What's important is that you are both going to die." Her partner slipped up beside her, eyes flashing with mirth. The men started before bursting into laughter.

"An unarmed school girl and a black cat? What are you going to do, throw your lunches at us?" The two facing them didn't even react before darting forward. When the girl stopped and looked back, the bodies were slumped against the wall and blood littered the room. The flash of steel on her hands vanished and her companion looked at her slyly.

"You've got blood on you again." He purred. She looked dismissively at the drips trickling down her cheek, and wiped it off with the boss' priceless handkerchief, which was dropped down on the floor amidst the mess.

"Let's collect the reward. I don't like this place."  
As they left, her chin raised a fraction, in disdain. "After all, Mafioso are just worthless dogs."

* * *

**I know. It's short. But it gets message across, remember**

**Opinions needed as to whether I should continue!**

**~Capulet-chan**


	2. I - I

**Hello lovely readers~ Firstly, I've been feeling inspired to write more of this little story so I thought I should add on a bit, especially as there was more interest than I though there would be.**

**Secondly, am putting off other stories and exam revision. Am a Procrastinator to the bone. TO THE BONE I SAY!**

**Enjoy :P**

* * *

**2 Years Later**

Part I, Chapter I

Tsuna moved out of Namimori High gates, the regular entourage bustling around him. Gokudera was losing his temper, Yamamoto was laughing, Kyoko was chatting amiably with Haru and Chrome, and Ryohei was trying to get Hibari to lighten up. At the gates, they were met by Mukuro, Ken, Chikusa, who still attended Kukoyu and Lambo and I-Pin, who had started elementary. Lambo ran over.

"Tsuna-nii! I don't want to go to school tomorrow!" he whined, making his 'older brother' smile fondly.

"And why is that?"  
"Because! The food isn't as good as Mama's and they make me do all this work and . . . and . . . and" he was lifted onto Yamamoto's shoulders.

"Come on, Lambo! It can't be that bad! I'll play catch with you when we get home, okay?"  
"You'd better."

_"Kufufu, _Are all you little ones doing okay in you're studies?" Mukuro teased, leaning down beside Tsuna, who blushed. Despite everything, he _still_ couldn't seem to get a good mark. Chrome blinked.

"But Mukuro-sama . . . aren't you failing English?" The pineapple head went red at that.

"Hey, being in Vendicare and a wanted criminal is taxing on your handwriting!"

They laughed, except for Hibari who flashed a superior glance at his 'rival', before turning away. Tsuna looked over.

"Kyoya?"  
"I have patrol. Omnivore, please make sure those herbivores don't cause a ruckus."  
"S-sure!" Tsuna squeaked and the dark haired teen vanished into the afternoon.

"Where's he off to?" they all jumped as Reborn glided out of the shadows. Two years and they still were getting creeped out by the tall hit man and his impromptu appearances. At least when he was still an infant he wasn't so terrifying.

"Just a patrol, like usual." Tsuna replied, recovering more quickly than the others. Having the guy living in your house had that affect on you. "Is there a problem?"  
The hit man frowned, and adjusted his fedora. "Just a feeling."

As the group moved off, a figure quietly watched them on a roof, comparing them to a sheet in her hand. Biting on her lip, she turned and hurried after the one who had split off from the group.

~()~

That night, after the usual chaos that was dinner, most of the others had left and the younger ones were in bed, Tsuna walked tiredly the stairs. He passed the hit man's room, were the tall man was sleeping, eyes staring sightlessly ahead. Tsuna shivered. That got creepier every time it happened. The whole group of them was worse though. Eight infants, all snoozing with their eyes open, was just plain _wrong._ As the word passed through his thoughts, another thought floated up to join it. He shivered and stared at the purple stone on his ring. He didn't know, but he had a bad feeling about Hibari. After a moment, he shrugged it off and went to bed. The Disciplinary Chairman could easily take care of himself.

On the other side of town, Hibari vaulted back and parried the fist that would have landed straight on his windpipe, before flinging out a tonfa. His opponent easily dodged and he caught it as it boomeranged back and then flipped as the minute his attention was slightly distracted, the figure had flashed forward and almost sent him flying. He blocked but the force behind the blow sent him skidding back. The drop before they reached the more industrial section of the city loomed behind. It would be bad to fall off. His figure came out, no emotion but scorn on her features. Her miniature frame belittled the four hour slam down she had been giving him. All without gaining a scratch. He frowned. As averse as he was to attacking an unknown person, he'd have to start using flames soon.

"This attack can be considered a direct offense to Namimori, you understand?" he asked, words clipped. Best make sure she fully intended on disturbing the peace before he went that far. She paused for a fraction then continued advancing.

"Your previous sentence is interesting. You appreciate Namimori?" his eyes narrowed.

"I don't take any blame for the deaths of stupid herbivores." He warned, raising his tonfas. She withdrew a small patch from her pocket and he blinked when he realised it was the Namimori High Crest. She cocked her head, before ripping it in two. His eyebrows drew down.

"Take that back or be bitten to death."  
She smiled evilly, a dropped it dismissively on the ground. Purple flames lit up the tonfas like torches and he shot off towards the unarmed girl. A black cat purred around her legs and she took off. Blood spurted into the air.

There was a moment of stunned silence and then Hibari dropped unconscious to the ground, blood seeping out from the wounds on his chest. She looked back and the shine of blood stained metal on her fist vanished in a flash of light.

"That was excellently done." Her partner purred, cheerfully, as his mistress glided over and flung the limp body of the Vongola Cloud Guardian over her shoulder.

"Of course it was. I did it." She sighed and the cat jumped onto her shoulder and looked at her inquisitively.  
"What's wrong?"  
"I thought this was going to be interesting, but this guy, who was supposedly the strongest, was just another dog."  
"Don't get too disappointed. He didn't get to use one of those box weapons we've heard so much about. That might have given some kick besides" he settled down on her shoulders and his eyes glowed in the dark "that's not why we're here. Don't lose sight of what's of important in the stead of your own pleasure."  
"I know that!" she snapped and he shut up. Fists clenched. "I-I know that. I won't lose." She moved forward and dissolved into the shadows. "Vongola Decimo and his guardians will die."

~()~

The next day, the Vongola were in for a shock. They had expected Hibari to be looming at the entrance (he didn't trust Mukuro to leave the school alone) but he was nowhere to be seen. Mukuro grinned.

"I think it's a high time I investigated my dear Chrome's school." He smiled and received a deadpanned look from the others. "What?"  
"Just because he's not here, that doesn't give you a right to go and damage the minds of others to the extreme, pineapple head." Ryohei exclaimed. Mukuro scowled.

"Don't be such a killjoy, Turf-Top." He replied, snootily.

"You guys need to travel all the way to Kokuyo so I suggest you hurry up." Tsuna commented. He earned himself a side look then the three of them headed off.

"You don't think something's happened to Hibari?" Kyoko asked, nervously. Gokudera scoffed.

"Don't worry, he's fine. He'll get here from sheer willpower."  
Watching from the shadows, the worry lines on Reborn's face deepened.

As the school day came to a close, the entire place was facing uproar. A whole day with an absence of the terrifying Chairman that stalked the halls had that affect on the school community. The famiglia exited the halls, throwing around any and all plausible reasons as to why the Cloud guardian _wouldn't_ have come to his precious school.

"A longer than normal patrol?"  
"He took a nap and lost track of time?"  
"I think someone intercepted him." They all did the automatic jump as Reborn glided out. "Currently, I think we should all head straight to Tsuna's house." The others stilled. It didn't take much to unnerved the hit man but he was clearly on edge.  
Halfway home, they found out why. He spun and shot straight at a crack in the wall, making the figure concealed there roll out. They all started and rings were prepared to be lit. Reborn fired off and the figure moved to a bob on the ground. The bullets bounced harmlessly behind her, without any sign of her dodging. Reborn was so still in front of them, they couldn't help but get edgy.

"You've been following us around for two days now." Reborn. "Who are you? And more accurately, which family do you come from?"  
Gokudera looked incensed and moved closer to Tsuna. "She's in the mafia?" Reborn shook his head.

"No. She's not from that crowd." The girl stood up and stood facing them, in the middle of the streets.

"You are Reborn, yes? The renowned hit man? Ex-Arcobaleno?" she asked, voice listless and robotic. He smiled.

"It appears you have a good source of information."  
"You were not included in the assignment summary. What is the reasoning behind your presence?" He raised an eyebrow and adjusted his fedora.

"I happen to be the home tutor to the Vongola Decimo." The girl cocked her head.

She had long straight hazel hair fastened with two white bows, black empty eyes and the high school uniform of the neighbouring school. She narrowed her eyes.

"Data added. Vongola Decimo has been trained by the hit man, Reborn." She then switched her attention back to Tsuna.

"However, you are not significant in my assignment. Please stay out of this. Tsunayoshi Sawada, yes?"

A bullet clipped the lock of hair beside her ear. She looked back to Reborn.

"I don't like being ignored. Who are you? What's your assignment?"

She stared then bowed low. "As you say. I am the 7th assassin of the Nekonome family, Generation 28." Reborn's interest spiked higher. "My target is the Vongola Decimo and the 7 Generation X Vongola Guardians." She immediately looked back over at Tsuna, looking for all the world like she was attempting to use x-ray vision.

"What do you mean by 'your target'?" Tsuna asked. The girl facing him didn't blink.

"You are the people I have been assigned to kill." There was a tense silence, broken by the sound of Ryohei gentle shifting of the girls behind him. Tsuna gulped.

"Do you know . . . about Kyoya?"  
"The Cloud Guardian has been neutralized as of last night." She replied evenly. Reborn leveled his gun at her.

"Get lost."  
A black cat, wearing a strange quartz pendant, slunk out from her shadow and yowled. She turned.

"Please enjoy your last nights alive. Soon" she looked back "I will kill you."

Reborn didn't hesitate. He grabbed Tsuna's shirt and literally dragged the teen to their house. The group of them squashed into Tsuna's bedroom, while the girls went downstairs to help out Nana. Reborn took the centre.

"That girl was a member of assassin family." He said flatly. He received quite a few blank looks but Gokudera and Bianchi exchanged looks.

"Reborn" Bianchi spoke "I thought that was just an empty threat." When Reborn stayed quiet, they all looked over to Bianchi, who sighed and turned to them.

"One of the first things you are warned about in the Underworld is our system's second side."  
"Second side?" I-Pin echoed. The Poison Scorpion nodded.

"That's a reference to a coin. On one side is the mafia famiglias, on the other, are groups called assassin families. Unlike famiglia's, these groups are strictly blood related. Not a blood member of the family and you will never be allowed in. They are all trained to kill, brutally and efficiently. The Triads are similar if slightly less manic."  
"And if that girl from before wasn't lying, than she's from the Nekonome Clan. Not only the strongest in Japan, they're credited as the most powerful in the Underworld."

"So then . . . Hibari -"

"Was most likely taken out." Reborn said flatly, before standing. "The fact that she's taken you all on as her new target is bad. I'm going to verify something with the Varia. I recommend none of you leave this house until I tell you to. Whatever happened with Hibari can be easily repeated."

He stood up and left the stiff teens behind him.

* * *

**Yay. Assassin has met Vongola. Much chaos will follow. I already have planned it all out (mwahahaha and the fate of the poor insignificant characters)**

**Please forgive if any characters g a bit OOC, I haven't ever written for these guys before.**

**Warning: This story will not be pretty. I will have character deaths. Depends on whether they are just OC, Vongola or both. Oh well (chuckles evilly)**

**Please review and comment! **  
**~ Capulet-chan!**


	3. I - II

**Hey! I know I need to update my Naruto one, but this story has just been lunging at me with joyous inspirational abandon and really distracted me from what I've meant to have been doing . . . grrr (checking for Smile-chan and noticing she's still not focusing on me whatsoever so I am free from her rage)**

**But on the bright side, I finished this lovely gem of a chapter!**

* * *

Part I - Chapter II

The hit man hurried through the streets, waiting for the tell tale signs of his informants. The bees drifted down and he listened softly, before breathing out. So the assassin wasn't around currently. He could do this safely. He headed inside a regular phone booth, and pulled Leon, who had turned into a circular disk, off his hat and placed him on the side of the machine. The disk lit up and immediately started beeping. Safe knowing the line was now secure; Reborn dialed a familiar number and waited for the answer.

_"Which trash is speaking?"_ Distinct sounds of VOIs and Ushi-shi-shis in the background were clearly the reason behind the receiver's irritable snap.

"Xanxus, this is Reborn."  
"_Oh, Sunny trash."_

"I want to know if there have been any assassination missions released lately with a price on the Generation X's head."

The fact that he received silence rather than cusses was a rather clear answer. "Who accepted it? It's important."  
_"We don't know."_ Reborn stiffened. _"The mission was posted and then accepted literally 2 minutes later. We couldn't even trace them."_  
Reborn sucked in. "I see. Thank you." He went to hang up, but a sudden snatching sound and distinct cusses made him curious enough to press the receiver back to his ear.

_"Hey peasant, the Prince wishes to say something."_ There was more shouting in the background and eventually something smashed. _"That missions was given a seven out of six star difficulty level. Those only get sent out to the most experienced of squads. The fact that it was taken in record time, the peasant involved isn't going to be a pushover."_  
"My, are you concerned, Bel?"  
_"No. Don't kill him because I want to have a go at turning them into a pin cushion."_

There was more shouting and smashing and creepy laughing and then the phone went dead. Reborn sighed and left the booth, Leon returning to his hat.

~()~

As the sun rose on the start of the weekend, a dappled glow in the fresh morning, the Sawada residence was reaching its patience peak.

"Storm, please move away from myself and my Chrome."  
"Stop hogging the lounge, stupid cow!"  
"I missed my EXTREME morning jog!"  
"Tsuna-nii, Lambo-san is hungry!"  
The boss himself was huddled in a small ball in the corner of his bed, shaking slightly.

Yamamoto stood up. "Maa, this isn't getting us anywhere. I'm going out." Gokudera's irritation spiked its max.

"WHAT THE HELL BASEBALL-FREAK? REBORN SAID WE COULDN'T, SO WE CAN'T!"  
"I JUST WANT TO STRETCH MY LEGS!" Yamamoto snapped back, even his good nature strained.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"  
"I WANT TO LEAVE!"  
"EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!" they all looked over at Tsuna who was sitting at the bed, taking careful controlled breaths. When he realised that they had all (with varying levels of enthusiasm), shut up and looked over, he shifted uncomfortably, licked his lips then continued.

"C-can anyone get into Namimori's system?"  
When he received puzzled looks, he hurriedly explained.

"Just that, if we can find any evidence of her fight with Kyoya, or where she lives, that could be useful."  
Gokudera stood up.

"Tenth. Allow me." He asked, bowing his head, making Tsuna sigh wearily. Lambo jumped up onto Gokudera's back.

"Tsuna-nii! Lambo-san will help Bakadera!"

"Meanwhile, Takeshi, Chrome and Ryohei, go out and get everyone something to eat. Whatever happens, don't separate."  
The other started. "Tsunayoshi, didn't Reborn specifically say _not_ to leave?" Mukuro purred. Tsuna nodded.

"Yeah, because we don't know when she might attack or where from. That's why, Mukuro, fly overheard in your owl and watch out for any signs from above." The man nodded, amused (when wasn't he?).

~()~

Thirty minutes later, the large group of kids, teens and adults were clustered around the table, eating at the hurriedly bought breakfast supplies, while Gokudera and Lambo told their discoveries.

"Any security footage or patrol records on the night are totally untraceable. They've all been completely deleted and/or hidden behind firewalls. This person didn't leave tracks."  
"However! Lambo-san the amazing found that-!"  
"We found that she hadn't covered herself personally. On the edge of Namimori, just before you head out south, there's an old house where she's been camped out in."

"So that's where we're heading?" Yamamoto asked, cheerfully. Tsuna hesitated.

"Is it safe? After all, Reborn won't be with us."  
"Boss" he looked over to see Chrome looking at him with that big, soulful eye of hers "I'll keep you safe."  
"Don't worry, Tenth!" Gokudera proclaimed, eyes alive with excitement. "We won't let you down!" Familiar sounds of agreement echoed over the table. Tsuna sighed.

"I guess I don't really have a choice then." As they all got ready to leave, he hesitated then grabbed his Dying Will pills and x-gloves. All he could say was that something felt like it was about to get worse.

Like Gokudera had said, the house was perched on the outskirts of the city. What he hadn't specified was the house itself. Perched perilously on the edge of an overlook, made of rotting timbers and old thatch. The doors were crooked and gnarled and any sign of habitation was gone. Unless you looked a bit closer. Then one might notice that the windows were a bit cleaner than one might expect. The distinct glint of round disks on the side indicating cameras. The slightly lighter patches of thatch were repair work had been done rather hurriedly over what appeared to be holes in the roof. Ryohei grinned.  
"What an extremely run down place! We could just drop it down on top of her!"  
"Don't, Sunshine." Mukuro scowled. "That irritating Cloud could be in there as well."

"Do you actually care?"  
"Not particularly. However if he dies, I won't have the chance to rub it in his face."

The tall indigo haired man swiftly dodged the irritated punch Gokudera sent his way and they went through the door. They all flinched as the smell hit their noses.

A combination of burnt wood, fresh paint and mildew assaulted them and their eyes were greeted by cracking paint beneath the various sections that had been freshly painted, cracks in the seams in the walls and moss growing from the gaps.

Tsuna winced as his toe stubbed against a piece of concrete lying on the ground.

"How could _anyone_ stand living here?"  
"Let's find them and leave."  
"Agreed."  
They split up and began cautiously poking into the various rooms. Most of them were in states of disarray with only three rooms, a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen showing signs or recent inhabitation, with candles, a bedroll and clean appliances.

"Hey guys!" They gathered in the hallway around Yamamoto, who stood beside a trap door previously hidden by the carpet.

"I found this!"  
"No. You magically got informed telepathically that it existed."  
As they broke down into more squabbling, Tsuna heaved a sigh. Clearly, their tempers were still running high from the night. After this event maybe distancing them from each other would be a smart idea for a while.

Together (after more grumbling), they reached down and heaved open the trapdoor, which screeched of rusted metal and made all their ears cringe. As they dropped it down beside them, a small cloud of dust floated up from the hole in the floor and the damp smell intensified. Coughing, the group descended, Mukuro gallantly offering to carry Chrome, who was gagging.

Surprise came as they came into a room that felt almost as big as the entire building above and the temperature dropped by several degrees, so much that they could feel their breath. Slowly, various multicoloured flames lit up the room and they felt blood draining from their faces.

Dark stains were splashed all over the walls and multiple sheets of paper were nailed to the stone, most with various notations and/or crosses over the faces of those pictured. Chains and hooks hung from the roofs, most with suspicious stains on them and manacles were attached to the sides of the building. Chained in the corner of the room, unconscious, was Hibari.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then the majority of them rushed over. Thick bands kept his ankles and wrists firmly bound and his body lay limp. Of particular note were four huge, bloody, slashes down the front of his body, seemingly from some sort of giant mammal. His breathing was ragged.

"I knew you would come." The flat, robotic, voice made them all go rigid. Slowly they turned to see the assassin sitting primly on the steps to the basement, black eyes deceptively innocent. Being stroked on her lap was the small black cat that had been around her the day before. Silence, so thick it was almost touchable, reigned throughout the room and she cocked her head curiously.

"Are you not going to reply? Normally in a conversation, one party starts and the other party answers and so on."  
Tsuna took a deep breath, gently shifted his gloves on and felt the calming warmth cover his body. Everything sharpened.

"What are you going to do?"  
"Nothing much. Just kill you."  
"What did you do to Kyoya?"

The hand stroking stilled for a moment then resumed its steady rhythm. "I neutralised him. I defeated him but cutting off blood flow to his limbs and brain." She blinked and pointed at the walls. "But then I recalled that he was the strongest guardian so I chained him to the wall in case he woke up. Then I realised he might be able to break them so I injected a poison into his bloodstream that slowly turns down brain functions so even if he did wake up he would be too weak and not have enough control of his body to do anything."  
Gokudera's fists balled. "That kind of poison can kill him!"  
"Of course." Her reply was even. "I intend to kill all of you. However, keeping him here has become a disadvantage" she pointed a finger at the Cloud Guardian and a squeal filled the room then the shackles crunched up and smashed into pieces, falling away as useless bits of metal, much to the shock of those watching "so you can keep him." She scooped the cat into her arms and stood up.

"It has been pleasing to talk to you. I have gained an adequate amount of information."

As she turned to walk up the steps, Tsuna's voice caught her.

"What are you planning on doing?"  
She cocked her head and the cat yawned, sharp teeth barred. "I will slowly kill all of your guardians so that you can witness their pain. Then I will kill you."

"Tomorrow." All the guardians stared at their boss and the assassin narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Explain yourself, Vongola Decimo."  
"We will fight you tomorrow when you wish." His eyes narrowed. "Winner walks away alive."  
She stared "You are aware it is simply advantageous for me to wait for you to separate and pick you off one by one rather than take you all on at once, especially in the day." Suddenly, an amused smile lighted upon her features. "But the way you suggested might pose a challenge. I've been looking for some entertainment." She turned and glided up the stairs. "Reach a place whenever it suits you. I will be there."  
She turned and left, vanishing into the darkness. After a tense silence, they rushed over, grabbed Hibari and fled.

* * *

**Yay! I think I'm becoming a slight sadist because that was really fun to write! **

**Next Chapter: The fight with Ms Assassin, going to be much fun and blood (hehe. . . I really am a sadist :[ )**

**~Capulet-chan ;P**


	4. I - III

**Hehe, much fun was had. Now we get to have a taste of what this little Oc of mine can do. Also, if anyone thinks about how she shattered the chains and whether that was a typo, it wasn't and shall be explained and detailed soon.**

**Enjoy this! It took a while. (Maybe think of really dramatic music when reading and think slow mo at points)(That makes it cooler)**

**(I am in a really weird mood ;P)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Part I - Chapter III

Reborn was waiting for them at the front of the house, fedora low and a face of thunder.  
"Are you all insane?" He asked them calmly, his voice too steady to be safe. In front, Tsuna felt a small shiver run through his spine and he nervously tried to stutter out.

"W-we j-just went out t-to get s-some breakfast." He mentally hit himself and felt Reborn scowl. The Ex-arcobaleno hated it when Tsuna stuttered. It was an old habit that had a tendency to pop up every now and then. The hitman adjusted his fedora.

"And I suppose going to breakfast entails visiting a ramshackle building that's partly alive?" They stiffened.

"You followed us?" Mukuro sniffed, slightly affronted that he hadn't noticed. Reborn shook his head.

"No. You all reek of mildew. Dame-Tsuna," said boy squeaked in fright as an evil aura surrounded the hitman, "Didn't I explicitly tell you to not leave the house?"  
"W-well, yeah I guess."  
"THEN WHY DID YOU LEAVE?"

The others watched as Reborn held out a Leon Hammer and promptly started smashing on the poor high school student. The others just blinked and realised dimly they were too used to the violence that trailed around Reborn and their Boss. After realising that Tsuna was semi-conscious and no longer able to answer, Reborn soon turned his interrogation on them. Gokudera, Ryohei and Lambo were sacrificed to the Hammer before they could get the explanation out with the unconscious/poisoned Hibari as proof. He temporarily halted his abuse session enough to help carry in the prefect and ring Shamal.

The Doctor arrived rather promptly (by his standards) and wearily checked in on Hibari, trying to ignore the sound of resumed abuse being dished out in the corridor.

When he exited, the others (who were in multiple stages of cowering) looked up expectantly and felt their bodies go stiff when they saw the puzzled look in his eyes.

"Poison, and a highly effective one. If we don't get the antidote, he's dead by tomorrow."  
There was a stunned silence. Tsuna cleared his throat nervously.

"Do you have an antidote-?"  
"No." Shamal cut in and the comment died. "This person is a professional. I can't cure it. You'd have more luck asking the person responsible for an antidote than trying to figure it out."

~()~

As the sun set over the city, the assassin sat quietly on the roof, her heart rate even and a slight smile on her face. The cat came up beside her.

"You're genuinely going to attempt an assassination during the day?"  
"You have a problem?"  
"Not particularly. I'll just be stiff afterwards, but it is for the best. You're out of time."  
At the comment, black eyes went flat and empty.

"What do you mean?" The cat looked up and his steadily dilating pupils twinkled with warning and anxiety.

"I can smell it in the air. He's on his way and he's looking for you." The girl gritted her teeth and chewed on her nail.

"That's okay." The cat blinked, curiously. "I'll be finished tomorrow. He won't be able to do anything." She hugged her arms around her chest. "He can't."

~()~

On the other side of the town, a most demure aura hung over the Sawada residence. Reborn had left with Bianchi and Shamal to try and locate the girl and all the others were once again left in the house. Beside them, Hibari's labored breath made the air thicker.

"Are we going to tell Reborn, Tenth?" Gokudera asked nervously. The others looked over. Ever since they had returned, it was the first mention of their commitment the following day. Tsuna bit his lip than shook his head.

"We can't. He'll stop us. And remember what she said" he hugged his knees closer to his chest and Chrome rubbed his back reassuringly "if we don't do this, she'll just pick us off one by one. Taking her on all at once is the best possible plan of attack we could come up with."  
"This fight will be extreme." Ryohei looked over. "Wouldn't it be wise to have Reborn as extreme back-up?"  
"But then, there's a chance he won't let us go, and we lose any advantage we could have." Yamamoto added. On Tsuna's lap, Lambo made a small whimper and rubbed the ring around his wrist. It was still too big to fit on the seven-year-old's finger, so he was continuing the substitution. Mukuro leaned forward, for once a serious look in his eye.

"I suggest we distance ourselves from each other as much as possible and relax. This girl is not going to go down easily."

The following morning, the sun creaked over the horizon as a hit man and his company patrolled the skyline, looking out for any sign of a small girl.

In the Sawada residence, slowly the boss and six guardians prepared for battle.

Swords were sharpened, dynamite pocketed, tridents burnished. Tsuna grabbed his gloves and then they all exited the house. Snow owl and swallows soared above them, keeping a keen eye out for anyone watching. Small mammals crept through alleys on the lookout. They had decided on the location for the battle that night and steadily, they walked, the guardians flanking Tsuna, whose eyes had begun to burn with a passionate orange flame. A brunette jogger going past stared at them in astonishment before detouring in another direction and a lady wheeling a pram nervously turned back the way she came. A lone man in a fedora watched them wearily from the roof.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, as he pulled up in a car beside them. They all froze and Tsuna felt his cheeks flush.

"We . . . we were just going to-" the hitman sighed and the doors to the car opened, to the confusion of the teens. Inside, I-Pin was perched, Hibari lying beside her.

"Get in. This is the best chance you'll have to get her."

There was a moment of silence as they all stared at him, then . . .

"Get. In. Now."

~()~

Reborn dropped them off behind some old storehouses. Iron roofing and rough shelters were set up and huge frames held the storage containers. In the distance, an electricity plant, set up here to remove it from the residential area, poked above the iron crates. Behind them, the city seemed to fade away. They all filed out but just before Tsuna left, Reborn grabbed his arm.

"Be careful. This girl will not be like any opponent you've faced. She'll be fighting differently and for different reasons. And above all, don't forget this. She's tough."

Tsuna breathed in as he felt Reborn's presence leave, seeking a car space. The advice was becoming repetitive yet something wasn't right. It wasn't like his tutor to spout previously mentioned wisdom. He shook his head and turned to survey the chosen place of battle. They could fight safely here, without the worry of civilians coming. The words echoed. He had known. This could be their gravesite.

"So you did come." They turned, less surprised than the day before, to find her sitting on one of the containers. The ever-constant black cat purred contentedly, curled up beside her, watching them with sharp amber eyes, that twinkled with mischief and cunning. Tsuna turned to her and he felt the guardians press in behind him.

"So how do you want to do this?" he called across the industrious battlefield. She shrugged.

"I do not mind the method. You may talk strategy if you want." She picked up the cat and began stroking it. Tsuna turned around.

"So what do you think?"  
"Overwhelm her."  
"She doesn't seem liked one to be taken down by a simple trick like that, Stormy."  
"Shut it, pineapple!"  
"We could take her one at a time, like a progressive overload."  
". . . how did you come up with that Yamamoto?"  
"Like progressive overload in training."

"I like it Takeshi."  
"Eh? Tenth?"  
"Allow me to go first to the extreme!"  
"Lambo-san will go next!"  
"Everyone happy?"

They turned around. Seeing it, the assassin perked up slightly and put down the cat. Checking that his box was in place, Ryohei tightened the bandages and stepped forward.

"Your extreme opponent will be me."  
"I see." She stared at him then spoke in that same listless tone.

"Ryohei Sasagawa, 17 years old, attends Namimori High School. Older brother to Kyoko Sasagawa. Sun Guardian and a boxer." She stood up and in a single fluid movement, leapt down off the container and faced him.

"You will die." Without a word, she charged. Ryohei stiffened and weaved, before sending an extreme right straight. She dodged and kicked out with her legs. He jumped back and charged in. Their fists caught, his left hook stopped by her right wrist. She flung it around, grabbed him and hurled him into the side of the container. He jumped up and smashed her in the gut with his fists. She flipped over his back, grabbed it and then slammed his head into the ground, turning a full backbend. All spectators winced. His hook caught her and she vaulted back, eyes watching. He got up and carelessly brushed rubble off before grinning.

"You . . . are an extremely worthy opponent." He pulled up his ring and his eyes glimmered. "YOU'RE BURSTING WITH PASSION!" the yellow flames ripped through the air of the ring and she bent into a crouch. The ring was inserted in the Vongola box.

"Mangaroo!" the yellow light filled and Ryohei's injuries vanished. His eyes burned with excitement. "Cambio Forma!"  
There was a moment then Mangaroo glowed and Knuckle's Gear appeared. Ryohei grinned. She smiled.

"So this is a box weapon? How very interesting."  
"LET'S BEGIN TO THE EXTREME!"

~()~

The girl easily dodged and weaved the blows and Ryohei met her fists. She used the landscape like a toy, vaulting and bouncing off walls, and she certainly wasn't playing fair. The boxer feverishly pounded on her but she glanced off the blows, often replying with trip attempts, wrist grabs or blinding maneuvers. Tsuna stiffened but Yamamoto grabbed his arm.

"Takeshi . . ."  
"Leave them. We wouldn't be able to keep up."  
"Of course not. I'm simply surprised that _he_'s keeping up with my mistress' speed." As the long silky voice filled the air, there was a moment of silence and then they looked over to see the cat staring at them curiously. The gem on its necklace glowed.

"What?"  
"THE CAT TALKS!" They yelled in sync and the feline sighed.  
"I don't talk. My thoughts are being translated into sound waves by the aquanthine gem I'm wearing. Geez."

"Aquanthine?" Mukuro looked over suspiciously "That stuff goes on sale in the black Market for 4 Billion USD per gram." He caught the gob smacked looks the others sent him. "What?"  
"Put it this way, man with pineapple styled hair." The man pouted and the others would have snickered in another situation without the sounds of cement shattering nearby every few seconds. "There are some people out there who are willing to pay quadruple that price to knock someone, they don't like that much, off." A black head nodded in the direction of the increasing rubble. "And she likes those ones the best." He stretched.  
"You should all give up. You cannot hope to defeat my mistress."  
Almost as he said it, the sound of blow matching blow sounded and they looked around to see the dust clearing revealing a panting and beaten up Ryohei and a still assassin. A small line of blood ran down her left shoulder and three bruises covered her body, but mostly, she was scot free of injury.  
"How long have they been fighting?"  
"Two minutes and fifty seconds." As they spoke, the assassin lunged forward and her elbow caught Ryohei's throat, sending him flying. She landed gracefully and looked up to see him pivot a landing and an extreme uppercut hit her solidly in the chin. The cat's spine went taught. The assassin's choked up blood as she was lifted bodily into the air when the extreme straight caught her in the chest and she was flung straight into the side of a storage container.

"Mistress!" The cat yowled. The other Vongola winced as part of the container started to fold in on itself, under the force of the assassin's impact. There was a creak and Ryohei stiffened, panting heavily. The entire container smashed apart, as if ripped by giant hands and the assassin lightly came out. Blood trickled easily down her back and a single drop wound down over her left eye, yet her face maintained the blank surface. The pain seemed inconsequential to her. She held up three fingers.

"Three minutes and two seconds. You have taken too long."  
Tsuna's eyes widened. "The round. It's finished."  
She almost smiled. "You're over." Before the exhausted man could react, she took off from a standstill and her hand clamped over his face. Momentum carried them solidly through the containers to the nearby electricity plant. His entire body was forcefully slammed into one of the poles, which broke in two. They all gasped as they felt electricity spike through the air. Her blow carried him through five more poles, out the other side of the plant and back into the containers, where he landed against one, instantly flattening it. Electricity lit up the shadows and spiked the air and the girl turned dismissively away from the motionless, broken body lying still in the rubble.

"The Sun Guardian has been neutralized" she turned to the others. "Who is ne-" she jerked back in shock as Lambo fell from above and landed on her back. His horns buzzed and then the air was filled with the assassin's screams as thousand of volts of lightning arced through her body. She desperately lunged from side to side, trying to shake the cow off but Lambo clung to her grimly as all the lightning he had charged up from the destroyed energy poles flowed through him to her.

"That amount of electricity could knock even Reborn out," Gokudera shuddered. She gasped and choked, before her knees crumbled and she fell limp to the ground. Lambo rolled off to the relieved cries of the others. Yamamoto grinned and Chrome flung her arms around Tsuna who grinned and stared at the limp figure of the girl. The smile disappeared and his blood ran cold.

"Lambo! Behind you!" The seven-year-old could barely look before a ten-centimeter thick iron pole slammed into his side and he was launched bodily through the air. His back smashed against a pillar and he crumbled, blood choking out and running down from his hair. The others backed up in shock, as the assassin extended her back to it's full posture and laid the pole over her shoulder.

"Well that's surprising. I didn't think I would have too use a weapon this early." Her eyes stared disdainfully at the small boy.

"Lightning shock, classifies closest to level 4 of conditioning. Threat: minimum. The Lightning Guardian has been neutralized." The pole glowed and she released it as it transformed back into her black cat, who curled up against her neck.

"Well, you should be satisfied now, Mistress. Shall we truly begin?" She held up a hand and the cat transformed into a hand gun. She leveled it at the stunned guardians.

"Yes. We shall."

* * *

**Yay! That was so much harder than I thought it would be! Fighting scenes are hard . . . crying on M-chan's shoulder. M-chan promptly dumps Capulet on the ground**

**M-chan: Don't touch me**

***sob* oh well, I'll get over it . . . soon. AND little black kitty functions in the same way Leon does! WOO!**

**Also, am off vacation! (Haha, why :'O)**


	5. I - IV

Part I - Chapter IV

She fired and they jumped to the side as dark black bullets sped past. Mukuro jerked.

"Everybody jump!" They just dodged as the bullets hit. The impact sites exploded in dark shadows and they were thrown back.

"Not fair! She has expolosive bullets? Hiee!"  
"Tenth!" Tsuna gasped as his body was crunched against a wall and Gokudera ran over to help him. Chrome summoned her trident and spun it expertly.

"Mukuro-sama."  
"Yes." The two illusionists ran forward, and the ground began to crumble. The assassin's eyes narrowed and the pistol shifted to a knife. She jumped off the ground, using the walls for counter leavers and shot down. Her blade met trident and Chrome pushed her back, before wincing. The assassin skidded into a wall and didn't even bat an eyelid as her back smashed straight through a beam. Behind the two, the ground erupted and hundreds of snakes flew out, the support pillars around them dissolving into thorny vines. They smashed into the assassin's side and she was sent flying through the air, yet she landed calmly without any recognition. Yamamoto watched as she parried illusion after illusion, matching blows with the pair.

"How? Any number of those attacks should have an ordinary person dropping unconscious from pain, let alone Lambo's lightning." Tsuna gritted his teeth and his nerves stretched. She was so unhindered it was like . . .

_She's tough_

Of course. Reborn hadn't meant that in a broad term. He'd been talking about her physically.

"Mukuro! Chrome! Watch out!" He roared as loud as he could. "THE GIRL CAN'T FEEL ANY FORM OF PAIN!" They looked back and then jumped as the girl smashed the ground where they had been standing, a giant broadsword in her hands. It glowed and they dodged the volley of bullets that shot towards them, wincing as the ground exploded on impact once again. She stared at them, her fist bleeding and a smile twitched onto her features, as the cat weapon returned to a knife form.

"Of course I can't. My family has a tradition of exposing its children to any form of pain, lightning, fire, poison etc., with the single goal of turning us into unstoppable forces." For the first time, a sadistic gleam echoed in the dark depths of her black gaze. "You have no hope." She took off from a standstill and Chrome gasped as the illusions were ripped apart and a knife was dragged down her back. The assassin flipped over and spun through the air. When she landed the illusionary snakes sent after her dissolved. Tsuna gulped.

"H-how?"  
"She's taking out every single one." Chrome whispered. "The trick to illusionary attacks is that you can't tell what's going to hurt and what isn't. So when you're preoccupied with a fake illusion, a real one can hit you from behind. Logically you'd want to take them all out, to not have to determine which are fake and which are real but if there are too many, that option cannot work." Mukuro's eyes narrowed as the light flashed over the assassin as she lithely vaulted through the air, bringing annihilation to anything near her.

"Unluckily, this one can use that option due to her speed." He shoved his trident against the ground and the whole cement floor turning to lava. She leapt up and fired a bazooka straight at the ground. The entire thing exploded and was sent up in flaming shrapnel. Mukuro breathed hard and then jumped as she appeared behind him. A solid hit from the pole sent him flying into the air and he couldn't dodge as the assassin appeared in front of his face.

"You're mind is too annoying. That needs to be dealt with." Her palm hit his forehead and the others watched in horror as his screams filled the air. His body spasmed before going still and he dropped like a stone. When he landed, his body was limp ad his eyes showed the whites. A small trickle of blood came from his nose and mouth. Chrome fell back in horror.

"Mu-mu-mukuro-sama" she choked up in horror. Tsuna breathed out shakily and then gestured back.

"Chrome! Protect I-Pin and Hibari!" The stunned girl barely reacted before blinking and stumbling away, clutching her bleeding back. Foam has started to appear and the corner of her mouth and her single purple eye was wide in shock.

The assassin landed easily and the cat returned to his original form and perched on her shoulder, smirking.

"The Mist Guardians have been neutralized." She noted easily. Tsuna's eyes were shadowed and his fists were shaking.

"You hurt them. Even Lambo, who's only seven."  
"They are all nothing but assignments. I don't care if my opponent is one or one hundred. The only matter of interest is their death."  
Tsuna's breath was short.

"Oh don't worry. They're not dead yet. Don't forget I'm planning on ending their lives one by one in front of you."  
The brunette snapped and lunged through the air, fists aglow. His punch caught her solidly in the stomach and she was flung across the battle field, skidding along the ground. His eyes were as calm as ever but his mouth was set in an enraged setting. How dare she! She got back to her feet and stared. "Interesting." She held out a hand and beckoned with her fingers. The three ran at her, Tsuna lighting his gloves, Yamamoto beginning his sword's swing and Gokudera pulled out bombs. She stared and then time seemed to slow. She weaved under Tsuna and Yamamoto's first strikes before the cat turned into a long flat sword. She kicked out and Tsuna was sent flying into Gokudera. Her sword flashed and danced around the bombs, redirecting them and launching them at Yamamoto. All three were blasted away from her and she stared at them disdainfully.

"Come at me. Do not dawdle around." Tsuna climbed up and launched at her, holding out his fists.  
"Zero Point Breakthrough Revised Edition." Ice soared along the ground and the assassin leapt lithely into the air and her eyes widened as it trailed after her.

"Yes! Tenth!"  
There was a crash and all six spectator's watching could only stare as the blade passed clean through the ice and the entire column shattered.

"She cut . . . the Dying Will ice?"  
She fell like a stone and her sword was barely matched by Yamamoto's before the two were sent crashing through the ground. Yamamoto jumped out of the new crater and then flinched as she appeared behind him. The now stiletto style knife swiped down and Yamamoto yelled as he felt tendons get sliced in his arms and legs. His limbs hung useless and he collapsed like a ragdoll before her. She stood above, the knife held like an executioner's blade. Gokudera charged into her and the bombs detonated on her body. She was thrown up and gasped as blood came up her throat, before her eyes narrowed and went feral. Immediately, Gokudera was sent flying and Tsuna gasped as those same claw marks on Hibari appeared on his chest. The assassin stood up straight and watched him in disdain, a giant iron claw strapped to her right arm. She leapt forward and Tsuna yelled in horror as the claw flashed and scars littered over the Storm Guardian's body before he fell to his knees, shaking and bleeding on the ground, coughing up more scarlet liquid. The assassin turned towards Tsuna, with cold eyes baring traces of satisfaction.

"Your turn, _Decimo._"

She charged and the claw caught him straight in the chest. He gasped as he felt it stabbed right through his chest, before he held out a hand and flames roared out, resulting in her flipping backwards, watching his gloves warily. On the side, I-Pin and Chrome watched in fear while Yamamoto and Gokudera looked up, their bleeding bodies paralyzing them.

"Power Source: Identified."

The Sky raced towards her and pulled his fist back as it began to burn with a furious light. She easily flipped over Tsuna's punch and slammed her foot into his head.

"Tenth!"  
"Tsuna!"

He spun, caught her foot and flung her. The moment the hands lost contact with her foot, she easily flipped mid air and landed on his shoulders. He punched up and she dodged. He drew his hand back and then blinked in shock. Looking down, he stared flatly at his now gloveless hands before looking up to see her carelessly toss their now average form behind her. He could even curse before she slammed into his gut, sending him flying. Gokudera went to yell in shock and then his horror gagged his windpipe up as the assassin squashed her hand into his precious boss' throat, and smashed him against the wall causing him to start gasping. The iron grip had no hesitation in the choke hold as she stared at him with those dead black eyes. The claw on her right hand shifted into a sword and Yamamoto yelled in despair when he realised what she was planning to do.

"No! TSUNA!  
"TENTH!"  
"BOSS!"

"Assassination plan, adaption." The girl spoke softly, shifting her stance without loosening her left hand. Tsuna began thrashing but the loss of his Dying Will Flames and the fast decreasing amount of oxygen coupled to make a hopeless cause. "Cancel psychological torture. Alter to Execution."  
She raised the sword and prepared to swing it down across his neck.

_Bang_

Time slowed down as the bullet passed through the assassin's skull and she crumpled to the ground. Tsuna dropped to the ground, gasping for breath and Gokudera managed to crawl over and tried to check on his boss, despite the paralysis in the lower half of the limbs.

"Tenth, are you okay?" Tsuna nodded, taking in shuddering breaths. His eyes were fixed in disgust at the sight of the assassin motionless on the ground, blood pooling around her skull. Reborn glided out of the shadows, gun smoking, and eyes grim.

"Get up." He snapped. "I know you're just playing dead like you did with the electricity." He received incredulous glances all around. Even I-pin, who was cradling the panting Hibari was gob smacked.

"She took a bullet to the head and you think she survived?" Gokudera gaped. Reborn narrowed his eyes.

"I don't think, I know. Now get up." The stunned silence became positively stupefied as her body twitched and she arched her back up into an even stance. She didn't even blink at the blood dripping down her skull. Reborn allowed a thin smile.

"For someone to be able to react fast enough to ensure the bullet hits the top of their head rather than passing through the brain at point blank range? You are truly a worthy bearer of the Nekonome name." He said, voice silken. She stared back, the cat weapon forming a pistol in her grip.

"And the grape vine of the Underworld isn't lying when they call you the greatest Hit man." She replied evenly. "I wasn't aware one could fire a gun soundlessly. However" she turned away "as I have already stated, you do not concern my assignment, so please stay out of this."  
Reborn laughed crookedly. "I can't do that. I happen to be allied with the Vongola and what tutor lets someone casually walk up and kill his student?" She turned back.

"Are you sure you believe that you're input is necessary?"  
"Positive." He smiled "Think of it as a stepping stone that must be taken." She blinked then turned to face him.

"As you wish." A round of her explosive shots sounded in a matter of milliseconds. He easily dodged and appeared beside her, grabbing her right wrist.

"It's not polite to start before we agree to commence."  
"It's also impolite to grab a woman's wrist." She wrenched her wrist free, simultaneously smashing her elbow into his rib. He skidded back and fired off a round. Her form flickered, dodging each one and then she darted forward, pistol turning into a claw. He flew easily past her.

There was a tense silence and the others watched as lines appeared on the hit man's body, spraying blood into the air. He grinned as he turned to see the girl's right half of her body now covered in blood and cuts, her eyes incensed. As she turned, she just managed to dodge the bullet that grazed her left elbow.

"Never turn your back on a hit man." Reborn advised. "Now. Shall we begin?"

~()~

Twenty Minutes later of the most invisible fight the group had ever seen later (as in, the two had been moving so fast the light hadn't been able to keep up) the two opponents faced each other panting. Cuts covered both bodies and blood dripped regularly. The girl's face narrowed and she tightened her grip on her (currently) spear. Reborn chuckled, and wiped blood off his lip. "You want to finish this? Very well." The two readied their stances and then took off. Gokudera started.

"But they've already-" Just before they intersected, the girl swerved sharply to the right to avoid tripping, leaving her back open and Reborn struck hard, shoving a knife deep into her back. She paused then almost immediately flipped over and the Hit man started and tried to pull back to find his hand stuck fast. The spear shifted into a stiletto and she dragged it down his right arm. He grimaced and they managed to separate. Blood dripped easily down Reborn's right arm. He grinned as he watched the staggering assassin, whose back wound was saturating her outfit and making her stumble.

"Exposing yourself to trap me and deliver an attack." He sighed. "I should have expected that. I forgot that your family specializes in attacks focused on three points." He counted them off on his left hand. "Brain, heart and your opponent's fighting arm." As if to emphasize, his own arm hung limp and the Leon dagger slipped out from useless fingers, before turning back into his regular form and returning to the fedora. Despite her unbalanced movement, the girl allowed a single smile to grace her features.

"Yet you too have made a mistake, my dear." He purred and the smile vanished. Leon began to glow. "For what good hit man relies solely on one arm?" The gun formed and appeared in his left hand, before firing. She flung up her right arm, now a shield standing between the bullet and her face. Reborn smirked triumphantly. The bullet split apart into hooks and latched onto the shield. They tightened and then smashed shut, cracking the shield into pieces. An agonized yowl filled the air as the weapon returned to his original cat form, cuts staining his body. As he tumbled to the ground, a mop of matted fur, his mistress' eyes followed in shock.

"NERO!" she screeched, beginning to move. It was almost too easy an opening.

Fresh blood stained the air and splattered down her front. Globs of it spilled from her mouth. She turned around to see Reborn's arm in her stomach. He had stabbed her with the dagger and shoved the weapon and his hand all the way through her abdomen. Blood spilled out from her mouth and she tried to hit but her body stayed motionless. Eyes widened in shock and Reborn's triumphant smile grew to victory.

"I'll admit you're not weak. But you don't look at the broad scheme of things. Observe you body. I'm sure someone of your caliber will pick it up in a few seconds flat." She looked. Instead of seeing individual cuts, she drew a map, linking them all up to one focal point. Her eyes stretched out wide, the bloodlust vanishing with her defeat and shining hazel eyes replacing black ones. Reborn nodded.

"All those individual wounds on your body are pointless in the short term. Yet piled on top of each other, pathways are stunted and rerouted until blood can go from your heart to the rest of your body via only one way." He looked at the hole his arm was implanted in. "I believe you have realised that one weak point that can cut off your blood supplies." She panted with shock and coughed as more blood came up. Her body, lower face and clothes were stained dark red. "That's the weak side of your family's conditioning. You can render yourself immune to pain and increase your bodies durability but even so, your body still requires basic needs to function and without blood . . . you're useless." She angrily swiped her one functioning limb at him before it went limp like the rest but he easily pulled back, and blood gushed out from the hole in her side. I-pin looked away in disgust and the others watched in shaking fear as the red stained everything. The assassin stumbled and wavered before completely crumbling and staring unmoving at the sky. Reborn walked over, brandishing his dripping left arm.

"That's the thing I hate most of you assassins. You cling so desperately to the life you take, that your deaths always have to be so messy." Leon turned into a long dagger and he held it above her throat.  
"Do it." She whispered, blood staining her mouth and cheeks.  
"Are you sure?"  
"I have failed. Just kill me."  
He sighed. "Always so melodramatic." He drew the knife up and prepared to swing down.

A vacuum sucked in and then the entire yard exploded into light and heat. People were skidded, thrown back and smashed up against walls. Tsuna winced as Gokudera thrust himself in between the brick wall and Tsuna's body.

Reborn was launched bodily into the air, landing shakily a fair few metres away from the assassin. When the dust cleared, the young man who had been jogging earlier stood there, face the picture of puzzlement.  
"Just what's happened here?" he asked, his face white with shock. The others shifted. This could be awkward. The man turned and started at the sight of the girl lying limp and helpless on the side. Suddenly, Tsuna tensed. He knew it could easily be a coincidence but the similarities between the shades in the man and the girl's hair and eye colour was almost too similar. His fists clenched as the man leaned down in response to something she gurgled. His eyes widened. It hadn't been clear but it sounded similar to –

"My, my, my precious little sister. Just what dangerous games have you been playing lately?" he asked, good-naturedly. Tension saturated the air faster than one could stop breathing. She glared up at him balefully.

"A-aniki" yep, that had been the word she had spoken before "what the h-hell are you doing here?" He beamed easily, with a good nature that rivaled, if not was stronger, than Yamamoto's before sweeping the petite figure into his arms bridal style. The limp cat slipped off his back onto his mistress' lap, whose weak hands immediately sought his soft fur. The spectator's blinked. When had he gotten the cat?

The man turned around and grinned calmly. "I apologise for the ruckus my sister might have caused you. She's bad tempered that way."  
"I'll' _cough_ 'deal with the carrying. You do not get the excuse to hold my butt, pervy Aniki." She sniffed. It was amazing how clear that sentence came out compared to the others. His hand clearly shifted around in carrying her.

"Hehe, sorry." He turned and chucked a vial of metallic blue liquid at Reborn, who got it easily, picking himself off the ground. The man nodded to Hibari, who had slowly progressed to an almost motionless like state.

"That poison should finish its job at 5.04pm. That antidote takes five minutes to go into full effect which gives you approximately" he stared up at the setting sun before checking a watch "42 minutes to get that injected into his blood stream. Laters!" He easily vaulted off onto the roof, carrying the wounded girl and cat. The remaining mobile members of the famiglia began to help the not so mobile ones to their feet while Reborn ran to the car.

On the outskirts of Namimori, in the old abandoned house, the assassin coughed up the last of the blood into the sink. She had tolerated (after a lot of arguing) a bath to wash off the excess blood, and had reluctantly taken the syringe her brother had 'helpfully' offered to give to her to repair her body (she had watched very carefully, checking that he didn't touch or stare at anything he didn't have to). Huddled next to the sink, mortified at looking like a drowned rat next to someone who wasn't his mistress, Nero impatiently waited for her to finish so she would start on his fur with the hair dryer. His pendant necklace had been temporarily removed and cleaned and he felt his patience wearing thin. He had never credited just how annoying it was to not be able to communicate. The girl finished her coughing fit, plugged in the hair dryer and began absent mindedly drying her cat. Her brother was perched in the doorway, the two pairs of identical hazel eyes reflected in the mirror. She grimaced.

"Why'd you step in?"  
"I didn't want you to die, duh. You had been doing a marvelous job."  
"I lost. I couldn't . . . I couldn't even lay a permanent scratch on Vongola Decimo." He smiled at her.

"He did have some uncanny backup." He commented. "This was a 7 star job. No one expected you to complete it." She scowled then gulped as a large amount of bile and food remains followed up the blood. Sighing, she slumped over.

"Stupid. I can't believe how pathetic-" breaking off, she growled and went to smash the mirror with her fist. A larger hand easily caught it and she was hoisted onto his back. He could be dense but he was smart enough to know that attempting to carry her bridal style now that she had full manipulation of her limbs was begging for an intense abuse session.

"How long have you been awake?"  
"8 hours." He whistled, impressed, before dropping her on her bed, the now dry cat on her lap. As she lay down, he heard her murmur.

"Aniki, I want to transfer schools." He paused in the doorway.

"By when?"  
"Tomorrow morning." He blinked then smiled affectionately.

"As you say, henceforth, I will obey." The door shut. She smiled.

"I know."

* * *

**Haha, pain. Much pain. I have the next chapter well on its way and should be updating soon**

**~ Capulet-chan**


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